Non-demand for social rights: a new challenge for social action in France

The fact of taking into account the issue of non-demand for social rights leads to changes in the logics underpinning public policy. These changes impact strongly on the relationship with the publics targeted by these policies, and make it necessary to take individual preferences into account. That is the case in France today, where institutionalization of the NTU theme may be paving the way for "post-welfarism", in which policy making takes in account individual preferences above all. The example considered here is the second largest local ‘social action centre’ or CCAS (Centre communal d’action sociale) in France (after that of Paris). The CCAS are instrumental in implementing social action policies and the changes of rationale presented here.